Even Better

Only consumed 20 points today. See, Weight Watcher meetings do work.

Did my Pilates routine.

Went to see Magdelena Sisters - heavy movie but good. Just don't go see it on a bad day.

Thanks Big Brother.

All Better

I went to bed early as I said I would. No TV, no reading.

Slept like a log. Woke up before alarm.

Went to Weight Watchers meeting. Weighed in and stayed for the meeting. Yes, I did gain another 5 pounds this month. So now I am working the program again. It's a new program. Flex Points. I like that. A lot.

Went to store and purchased lots of fruit. I'm going to be good.

I am signing off now because I need to do someone's payroll. See, I'm going to do my work too.

Thanks mom.

I Need a Mom...

or at least someone to tell me to behave.

You see, I have been bad. My husband has been working late nights this week. It's kind of like I'm on vacation when he's gone in the evening. I stay up late. I play around on the computer, do my exercises, play with the cats, read, watch a little TV and all of a sudden it's 2am. The radio alarm blasts out the news at exactly half past six in the morning. I drag myself out of bed saying, "I won't do that again." And then I do it all over.

So here I am. He's at work. I am dead tired. Tomorrow is Saturday but I can't sleep in. I have to get up and weigh in by 7:30am.

Weighing in. That's another reason I need a Mom. I need someone to say, "stop eating all that junk. weigh in every week, not just the very last Saturday of the month." I have no control lately. I eat junk food. Husband is gone for the evening, I help myself to Oreo's, M&Ms, Ice Cream. Usually I blame my husband for bringing the stuff home. But guess what... I stocked up my secret drawer.

Work. Another reason for Mom. Remind me that work comes before play. And playing shouldn't be done at work. But there I am. I have to get in just one more game of solitaire before I get to the work. It's even worse when I try to work at home on all those side jobs. I check my email. Feed the cats. Write in my diary. Write in my blog. Read blogs. And then it's too late to work. I'm too tired.

Exercise. I started Pilates training Monday. I did the routine at home in front of the TV on Tuesday. Wednesday I was too tired. Thursday I did half of it. Today...nada. Someone has to tell me to do it.

Okay, enough confessions. I've told you all my trangressions for this week. Now I have no excuse. I must turn this all around. Do the next right thing. Hey, it's only 9:15 here. I'm going to bed.

Besides, Big Brother is watching. I'm sure he'll straighten me out. Good Night.

Obfuscation - the Answer

If you haven't read the first entry from yesterday, read it before you look at the answer.



As much as I would want # 2 to be a lie, the truth is # 3 is the lie.

Bored yet?

Just a couple more things.

Who threw the bubble gum on the sidewalk outside my apartment this morning? Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

I want this bumper sticker: Fat people are harder to kidnap.

Now I have to go for sure. Snorting Hog is awakening. (you did read Indian Names below didn't you?) Problem with blog. You must read it backwards!

I checked out my hours online this month. 3770 minutes. I am not addicted to the internet. Someone else must be using my account. Really.

I'm done. Promise. No more drivel. I'm shutting down the computer.

The Sewing Machine Revived

Opened the sewing machine that has stood idle for 20 some years. Amazed to find the original Kenmore instruction book. Carefully placed drops of oil into each illustrated part. Wiped up spilled oil with husbands old underwear (clean). Couldn't find a spool of thread in my place so resorted to using an old bobbin to thread the machine. Found some old quilting pieces buried in my trunk. Put my knee to the pedal. Nothing. Cranked the wheel around a couple of times. Motor moans. Cranked the wheel around a couple more times. The needle goes up and down two or three times. Stops. Repeat cranking and groaning several more times. All of a sudden the motor takes off with a screetch, barely missed stitching up both thumbs.

Now there is no excuse. I get out the vintage pattern. It is all printed on blueprint paper. Each size a different line. I don't want to cut out a size 10 and find out I'm a size 12. Seems I'll have to trace the pattern onto tissued paper.

Off to the fabric store. Scissors, thread, seven yards of purple fabric, pins, needles, pin cushion, seam ripper, magnifying glass, snaps and hooks and a roll of pellam to make a pattern (cause that's what the clerk said to use). Home again. I look at the sewing machine, place the bag of fabric and notions on chair. I look at the pattern again. This seems way to complicated. So I decide that today I'm only going to make the pattern, maybe cut out the dress. After I write some blog stuff... Have you noticed how many entries I have made today?

Just checked - the cat is sleeping on the pattern. It wouldn't be good to disturb him.

Shopping

Yesterday, before going to the theatre, I stood in front of my closet wondering what I could pull out that would actually fit. Once again it seems that extra 10 pounds crept back on. Too late to take it off. Only solution was to go shopping. The solution, one pair of black dress pants, that stretch two ways and two sweaters because I couldn't decide which would be best. Oh, and I threw in a long black skirt in case I wanted to be a bit dressier.

Stopped off at Starbucks. Had coffee and caramel bar (Okay niece K - don't tell me the calorie/fat count this time).

Got home. Reached for the skirt. It was too tight. Now how can one afternoon coffee and one tiny caramel cookie do that? I wore the stretch pants vowing to never eat fat again.

Breakfast this morning with the Uncles: Waffles, butter, syrup, bacon, bowl of fruit, coffee. It's all the uncles fault..

Chicago

It was good to see the live Chicago at the Golden Gate Theatre. I had heard there were bad reviews. And with the first couple of scenes, I was considering that perhaps the reviews were right. However, we sat it out, in row T, kind of on the side, sweltering and found the rest of show reasonably rewarding. Would I go again? Probably not. But then again... Naw, it wasn't work the $85 per ticket.

Getting to the theatre. Now that's another story. Took Bart. Walked several blocks to the theatre, past the homeless, clinging my bag closer to my side. Relieved to get in the door. Going back, past the homeless now drunk or passed out, I walked briskly trying not to breathe in the stench of it all. Unfortunate that good theatres must be located in such rotten neighborhoods.

Indian Names

Last night at dinner my husband announced he was going to call me White Swan.

"Why?" I asked.

"Cause you should have an indian name."

"because?"

He looked at me, "just because."

So I looked back at him and said, "Okay Snorting Hog."

Do you know that today he just couldn't wait to tell everyone he knows what I will now call him? Oh no, what have we started?

Obuscation

I just gotta do this. I know it was due on Friday but I just happened to find out about it. So here goes: You figure out which are true or false - I don't have comments, so you'll have to email me.

#1. When I was seven years old I was visiting a friend who just happened to be living in an old farmhouse where I had lived for several years. We walked down a long dirt road to town, a small town in Michigan with maybe half a dozen stores. On the way back to her house, we stopped at a corner gas station. When the owner wasn't looking, we each snatched a candy bar. While we were enjoying the chocolate on our long walk home, a guy in an old station wagon pulled over and asked where we were going and if we need a ride. I didn't know who the guy was and my first reaction was that he had seen us steal the candy bars and we were doomed. I stuttered a bit but told him that we would rather walk. My friend looked astonished that I wouldn't take the ride. When we got back to her house, I found out the guy in the car was her father.

#2 I have always had a problem figuring out locks, especially on bathroom doors. One night I was riproaring drunk and had to go to the bathroom in the worst way. My husband pulled over in a city park and pointed to a portapotty. Being under the influence I could have cared less where I was so I got in there, did my duty, and reached for the lock. I couldn't get the trigger to work. Meanwhile my kids who were in their early teens thought it would be really funny to tip the portapotty. I woke up in the morning, sniffing my clothes, not quite sure if I could remember the adventure. They were quick to fill in the details.

#3 In the mid seventies streaking the neighborhood was a popular fad. Our friends had no problem participating in this activity so it was no surprise when we all went out and streaked the snowed in streets of Tahoe on a weekend retreat. The only trouble is, I was at the tale end of the line and they all thought it would be funny to run back, lock the door and leave me stranded out in the snow. Scared and shivering, I screamed and pounded on the door. Roaring laughter came from the other side of the door. Moments later the police cruiser arrived flashing lights on my naked body.

What's that noise?

For months I've been driving my car around with the most irritating noise emitting from the left front end. I've taken the car to the shop three times. Three times something was fixed under warranty. Three times they fixed the wrong thing. The noise remained.

What I can't figure out is why, each time, the mechanic could not hear the noise when he test drove the car. He asked what it sound like. I responded, "I don't know, some kind of squeal, drive it and see." He asked when it happens, when it's hot or cold, when the car has been running for a while, etc etc. I responded, "there is no such trigger as to when it happens. Drive it in my driveway and you will hear it." So, each time I picked up the car, I was assured that the repairs took care of the sound. Perhaps I was just hearing things.

I started to figure out that if I continued to take the car to the same mechanic, eventually I would end up with all new parts. Voila instant new car! But I made a mistake this week. I had my husband drop the car off. He told him there is a noise that has been reported three times and never fixed. The mechanic asked him what the noise sounded like. His response, "a caged hamster on a squeaky wheel."

Wouldn't you know it. The car no longer has that obnoxious noise. Is it the squeaky wheel or is it a kind of man to man thing?

Whatever

I need to write. Not that I have anything in particular to say but because I find myself posting less frequently. Maybe some of you think that is a good thing. Oh well. Here's todays drivel.

I'm lazy. It's all the fault of the lady at the Pilates Studio. You see I signed up to be personally evaluated to see if this kind of training might help out my back problems. I had it on my calendar that the appointment was yesterday at 2pm. She wasn't there. Another trainer looked at her calendar and insists that I have an appointment for next Monday. Today my trainer called and apologized. I told her, "oh no problem, I must have written down the wrong date." Seems I do that more and more these days. Anyway it gave me an excuse to...

not exercise yesterday. I could have gone to the Pilates Mat class that I usually take on Monday nights but no, I was still too miffed because I was sure I was right about the date. What did I expect anyway - that she would call and fit me in somehow? Anyway I didn't go exercise at all. Instead I...

ate too much food. Went to a mexican restaurant and pigged out on a huge vegetarian burrito. Vegetarian as in mostly rice and beans, very little vegetables. And while I was waiting for that burrito I ate more than my share of chips and salsa. Talk about out of control. When I got home I ate Ben & Jerrys ice cream. And then...

this morning I stepped on the scale. Oh why did I do that? No wonder my pants are all too tight. There is just something about these weekends where I wear long shapeless dresses, elastic band pants, and baggy workout clothes. All clothes that allow that extra bit of space to fill up with junk food. So tonight I...

at a frozen cardboard diet entree. Shopped for low fat foods. Ignored it when my husband stuck the Krispy Kreme donuts in the cart. Overlooked when he put in the cookies, ice cream and chips. Got home, looked at his stash of goodies, looked at my stash of low fat foods and...

I didn't touch his stuff!!! ... yet

CD Release

Yesterday we were honored to be invited to the CD release by our dear friend, Dave Chapman. Quite often Dave joins a number of singers at the Alley on Grand Avenue in Oakland. Proceeds from the sale of the CD go directly to the trust fund of the daughter of Jeff Bond. Jeff was a great musician who played on the Snow Train from the Bay Area to Reno. He died in a car accident about a year ago.

Some of the songs on the CD include Bye Bye Blackbird, As Time Goes By, What Kind of Fool Am I. It's all good. The CD is $15 and is for a worthy cause. Tell me if you want one.

Mutterings

1. Only you:: can make my dreams come true....
   
2. 33:: and 1/3
   
3. Foundation:: strong
   
4. Accidents:: oops
   
5. Hometown:: lots of them
   
6. Natural:: disaster
   
7. Bombastic:: not me
   
8. Bachelor:: buttons
   
9. Far away:: Norway
   
10. Tony::award
    

In the News Again!!!

OMG - it happened again - we are in the Contra Costa Times


I have a feeling we may be in the Healdsburg newspaper tomorrow. See our latest Red Hat Adventures here.

In the News

OMG - I made it to the front page

of the

Rossmoor News

How Was Your Weekend?

My weekend was good. Evita production at Woodminster was good, not great. Got together with friends, trying to repeat an event we all did 30 some years ago. As much as I tried, I could not remember what we saw, what we ate or drank, and who went. I only remembered that it was cold and the benches were uncomfortable. So we started talking about the last time we did this. Turns out no one has the ability to remember all the particulars. So we pieced it all together. Funny how one person remembers something completely different from everyone else. All I know is that they finally added backs to the seats so you aren't sitting for 2 hours on a hard bench. The only problem, these plastic molded seats are slippery and don't quite fit anyone over size 6.

Yesterdays Symposium was good. I hadn't attended this event for several years and yet I still ran into some good old friends that I hadn't seen in ages. Seems we have all become a bit more gray as well as a bit more wide and a all had a bit more trouble trying to get down on the ground and back up again. Great speakers. Something like 1100 years of sobriety from 150 women. Not so bad a record.

Great party, great food, and most gracious hosts at the party last night. We took Baby J. He was the hit of the party, stole all the grandmas hearts. He was soooo good. He always is.

Okay, it's Monday. This week I'm going to work out at the gym at least 3 times, tonite, Wednesday? Friday? NO EXCUSES. Okay I'm off to the gym. See ya.

Mutterings Again

1. Miss America:: not me for sure
   
2. Cherubs:: Aunt Pat
   
3. Shark Week:: huh?
   
4. Sunflowers:: Seeds
   
5. Sorority:: Girls
   
6. Grilled chicken: sandwich
   
7. 100:: times
   
8. Tickle monster:: me
   
9. Veronica:: Archy
   
10. Slurpee::slush
    

Notoriety and The Good Week

The Red Hat Society is going to be featured in the Contra Times soon! We are all pressing our purple attire and dusting our red hats for the photo shoot and are we ever excited. Stay tuned.

In spite of my bad Aries horoscope predictions this week, I have had a good week. Each morning I have been reading about being cautious, not to expect too much, careful how I deal with family, etc etc. So far I have 100% proved them to be wrong. I've had a good week. An exciting week.

Perhaps it was the breaths of mountain air at the beginning of the week. Invigorating. Then there was a good workout at the gym on Monday evening (I added an extra plate to each weight machine), followed by a Pilates mat class. Repeated the workout on Wednesday. Yes it feels good to be active. Yes the back is still cranky but it's going to be that way no matter what I do.

Had a haircut yesterday. Going for the flapper look for my October Red Hat Event. So now my bob is a bit shorted in back and I'm hoping the front will be sufficiently long by my next trim just before the event. Got the pattern for the flapper dress. Now I just need to find the perfect fabric. But not this weekend because...

Today I have Baby J. Today I need to grocery shop for Uncle Mac. Today I need to make a fruit salad for the picnic we are going to before seeing Evita at Woodminster amphitheatre tonight. Tomorrow I have an all day women's event. Tomorrow I am also going to a party at the home of my husband's boss. By tomorrow night I should be pretty well exhausted and ready for recovery on Monday and work on Tuesday.

Oh well, perhaps I'll sew next weekend. And look for fishnet stockings, a cigarette holder (and some candy cigarettes?), purple beads, and whatever else befits a flapper.

Our chapter of the red hatters is planning a Halloween party. So now I have two reasons to get the flapper outfit in the works. But then the party is on a Friday noon. I have to work on Fridays so will have to make an appearance during my lunch hour. Not so sure about wearing that Flapper garb to work... We'll see.

Oh, and I got tickets to Chicago (live) at the Golden Gate. Trouble is I tried to order the tickets online and kept getting great seats but it wouldn't complete the transaction. By the time I made my way down to the local Ticketmaster, I had to settle for row T. 16 rows back and still costs $85 a pop. There went my fun money for the entire month. On top of that, I open the newspaper and see the review for the show. Not a good review. Oh well, by the time we see it in 2 weeks they will have all the kinks worked out.

Well, Baby J is stirring. Gee that was a short nap. I ordered a couple of toys at Baby Center and they came yesterday. My husband caught me trying them all out when they arrived. I had to make sure they were safe you know. Okay, Baby J is calling, I'm off to see how he likes his new stuff. Must hurry. He has to go home by noon. : (

Well, one more thing. I just ran this through spell check. There was an error - it seems blogger thinks that "fishnet" should be replaced by "poisoned". Hmmmm.

Mutterings Etc

The best thing I heard today: Just do the next right thing

1. Hook:: crook
   
2. Greg:: who?
   
3. Sixty:: miles an hour
   
4. Breakfast:: cereal
   
5. Dollar:: bill
   
6. Unpredictable: who knows
   
7. O:: Oprah
   
8. Bathing suit:: fat
   
9. Inconsiderate:: rude
   
10. Marx:: Brothers
    

Or this??

My Logo 2

The one below or this?

My Logo?

Tell me what you think

Sorensen's Resort

I should put a plug in here for Sorensen's Resort.
This is where I go when I need to get away from the bay area. I used to go to the mountains, backpack my way in a few miles, and sleep out under the stars. These days I am lucky to pack myself in the car, travel a few hours and sleep in a cabin in the mountains with the windows open. At least I can breathe the air and smell the trees and listen to the creek babble. Not quite like the old days but I will admit it is much nicer sleeping in a real bed. Oh dear, I am getting old.

A Short Time Out

Took Baby J to the mountains Sunday night and returned today. Needed to breathe some of that fresh mountain air. Baby J and I had lots of fun.

My Name in Print

I got the e-mail today from Writer's Digest. They liked the writing prompt I sent them so I'll be listed as one of the contributors of prompts in the December issue! I know, it's just a small reward but it means a lot because somebody liked something I said enough to give me a credit. Can I now say I am a writer and have been published?

Actually I have been published in a rather indirect way previously. I submitted a letter once to Lauren Artess for a book she was writing about Labyrinth experiences. It did get printed in her book. However I was only an anonymous writer at that time.

Somehow it is still exciting to see something that you write in print. I get satisfaction just seeing my contributions appear in the Story Circle Journal which is a quarterly 16-24 page magazine. It's always a good feeling when we are accepted. And being selected as writer of the month earlier this year was even better.

Now about that book I will write someday... I was going to use a pen name but I am rethinking. I want my name on there. To heck with the consequences. Remember, it will be fiction. But then again, we write what we know don't we? In that case I guess it might be creative nonfiction. Maybe I better work on a pen name afterall.